3,342 / 35.3% Yes votes ...... 6,128 / 64.7% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

The last time the Council received a pay increase was
1980. Inflation has gone up by at least 70% since then. The workload for our Council has increased over the years but the pay has not matched that extra work.

Council members put in long hours every week in service to our City and our residents, serving the public at all hours of the day. Besides Council meetings, subcommittee sessions, and regional board and commission meetings, our Council members attend many other evening and weekend meetings and public events. They also spend many hours consulting with citizens and community groups on numerous neighborhood and City concerns.

The Council regularly makes important policy and budget decisions in such areas as police services, street and sewer repair, traffic, neighborhood preservation, parks and recreation, and planning and land use. These decisions require thorough research, wide public input, careful deliberation, and lots of time.

Voting for a pay increase will allow a greater diversity of people to afford to hold public office. Without a pay increase, people who need to support their families may not be able to afford to serve on the Council due to the commitment of long hours necessary to do the job properly. Without a pay increase people with child care or disability assistance needs will be hard-pressed to take on the extensive Council duties.

We should take pride in our elected representatives and provide them with a fair level of compensation for the contributions they make to our City and our residents. Vote Yes on Measure S.

(No arguments against Measure S were submitted)